FiftyFive.One
• Voices From Soccer's North •
Category: The Angle
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Please #PANIC Responsibly
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Please #PANIC ResponsiblyIt is a remarkable achievement that Minnesota United FC, which entered this MLS season with the lowest expectations of any team since Chivas USA’s doomed final season, has nonetheless managed to perform at a level so abject that even the naysayers have found themselves at a loss. Needless to say, the starship #PANIC is now cruising at ludicrous…
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Training Report: Justin Davis Reacts to MLS Debut
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Training Report: Justin Davis Reacts to MLS DebutWoodbury, Minn. — The result hardly came up roses for Minnesota United in its inaugural MLS match this past weekend. Portland ended up beating the expansion side 5-1. However, Justin Davis was able to make his MLS debut in the Rose City. There’s a different level of confidence around Justin Davis than there had been at…
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Home-Field Advantage? Adapting to TCF Bank Stadium’s Pitch
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Home-Field Advantage? Adapting to TCF Bank Stadium’s PitchSunday marks the first MLS home match for Minnesota United FC and the second time soccer has been played at TCF Bank Stadium. The University of Minnesota football stadium clearly isn’t built for soccer, but the newly-installed turf (sans yard lines) will serve the Loons well as a temporary home. But how will the pitch size affect the…
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Opinion: Why 30,000 Tickets Sold for Home Opener is Good, Bad, and Great
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Opinion: Why 30,000 Tickets Sold for Home Opener is Good, Bad, and GreatAs Minnesota United approaches its home opener, the club is boasting over 30,000 tickets sold. When compared to its fellow MLS debutantes, this number can seem low against the 55,000 tickets Atlanta United sold for its home opener. However, contributor Clint Warren, a former ticket sales executive who teaches and studies sport business strategy, helps…
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Minnesota Away Days Travel Guide
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Minnesota Away Days Travel GuideMinnesota United FC’s first year in MLS means more attention for the club in a lot of ways, one being an increase in away fans in attendance. While the United States and Canada are too vast to really encourage the kind of traveling fan support seen in Europe, plenty of hardy supporters nonetheless make a tradition…
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Rewind That: Checking the Tape of Minnesota United’s Loss in Portland
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Rewind That: Checking the Tape of Minnesota United’s Loss in PortlandMinnesota United was taken to task by Portland in its MLS debut, falling 5-1. But was the scoreline more damning than the Loons’ play? In a new series, Jeff Rueter checks the footage to analyze the match. Consider this a case study in watching a match twice before tweeting overarching opinions. After Minnesota was done,…
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The Tailgate: Minnesota United Loses Its MLS Debut 5-1
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: The Tailgate: Minnesota United Loses Its MLS Debut 5-1This week we ask the fans: “Minnesota United began its MLS journey in inauspicious fashion with a 5-1 loss to the Portland Timbers — the worst loss by a team playing its first league game in MLS history. What is your take on United’s poor opener?” “Awkward, embarrassed, tearful, Bob Ross in the background……
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Supporters Section: MLS Gameday Tips for New and Returning Fans
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Supporters Section: MLS Gameday Tips for New and Returning FansSupporters Section is an occasional feature focused on the supporters experience written by Dark Clouds member Nachiket Karnik. As MLS’s first weekend in 2017 draws to a close, we’ve seen an explosion of soccer support around the nation. Going into Minnesota’s home opener, we can expect many new fans to stream into TCF Bank Stadium,…
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The Sheer Insanity of the Official MLS Style Guide
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: The Sheer Insanity of the Official MLS Style GuideThe official MLS style guide is up on the league’s website. This gives more pliable media members the league’s official line on what is and is not acceptable when referring to the teams in the league. MLS has always been famous among soccer fans for insane league-mandated nonsense (see: TAM and GAM, the discovery mechanism,…
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Opening the Minnesota United Season Ticket Package
Continue Reading: Opening the Minnesota United Season Ticket PackageThere’s been a real buzz on social media the last few days regarding the packaging for Minnesota United season tickets that are now being delivered to their rightful owners. Our own Nachiket Karnik, host of the We Call it Soccer podcast, received his on Saturday. He filmed himself opening the package so you could see why…
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The Sights From Minnesota United’s MLS Debut
Continue Reading: The Sights From Minnesota United’s MLS DebutThe result may have been disappointing for Minnesota United FC supporters, but the night was still a historic one. The Loons made their MLS debut and the game ushered in a new era for Minnesota soccer. Will Bramlett, special to FiftyFive.One, was on hand at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. for the match and captured…
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Tiering Up: The FiftyFive.One MLS Prediction Piece
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Tiering Up: The FiftyFive.One MLS Prediction PieceAt long last, we’re just days away from starting off another Major League Soccer season. With transactions done and dusted, the focus now shifts to the games themselves. Looking at each conference, here’s our stab at a ranked MLS prediction. Is anyone else sick of offseason analysis articles? There’s only so much one can read (or…
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What I Mean When I Say I’m Excited About Minnesota United FC’s Inaugural Season
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: What I Mean When I Say I’m Excited About Minnesota United FC’s Inaugural SeasonWhile fans are excited for the start of Minnesota United FC’s inaugural season in MLS, all should be ready to temper their expectations. Only one team, Seattle Sounders FC, has managed to finish better than sixth in their division in their inaugural season. The average win percentage for expansion teams is a paltry 26 percent over…